Loire Valley camping - and how much of a shock for privacy freaks??

[MisSalLaneous]

Odd question, I know, so let me start with the simple part:

Which campsites would you recommend in the Loire Valley? I've searched, but there are so many that I'd appreciate personal advice.

Then, the difficult part... I hate big campsites. We always go to tiny ones, and usually camp in the woodland or somewhere as private as possible (e.g. Blackberry Wood, Tipi Trail at Wowo, tiny sites where we were able to pitch away from others). Now, whilst I know this sounds very antisocial, we prefer this when on holiday as it's a way to have a proper break, peace and quiet.

This worked perfectly when ds was smaller - he'd potter around with twigs and stuff, whilst I hang around (quite literally) in the hammock and dh read a book.

Then. Approaching 3, and mom and dad are not all that anymore, so I'm willing to compromise on longer trips. I've always wanted to visit the Loire Valley, and know ds would love the pool, playground, we could visit the area. BUT (and really sorry for the essay, please bear with me, almost done) - will I hate every second of this as everything is so open and shared?? I'd also feel horrible if he cried at night in case I kept others awake.

We have camped with friends before, but only with one other family, and we booked somewhere where we had our own field out of sight

For starters, I wouldn't worry at all about your ds crying and waking people up. . Don't know about anyone else, but when I'm camping I sleep like the dead and nothing wakes me up. When my kids were little and up (at night) all the time, I briefly worried about this too but I never had any fellow campers battering down my tent in the morning to complain, nor did I get any 'looks'.

Indigo campsites are meant to be very nice, I've had friends who recommended them. I'd also look here on mumsnet, and Campsite UK for recommendations. I found an list online of wonderful French campsites on an old Times webpage.I think I googled something simple like 'great French campsites' and got loads..sadly I binned this list just the other day because they just weren't what I was looking for. .

I also found a list of campsites on farms in France, again google this, and they came up with a few options,all smallish, and child-friendly. Once you have names of specific campsites you can cross-reference them on forums like Campsite UK.

HTH, good luck!

PS: I'm an anti-social old sod and the privacy thing has been ok. We went to a large campsite (300+)the year before last, and it was lovely - the pitches were large and there was enough room for everyone to do their thang.

the first book is very good. It has details of lots of little, rural campsites on farms all over France.

We did a trip a couple of years ago and camped in 2 places in the Loire Valley, both lovely. I'll see if I can remember and get links for you. One was a "proper" campsite near Amboise with a pool and stuff but still very small and friendly and in a little village with a butcher over the road who also did "ready meals" (big spit roast chickens with chips and hot dishes of lasagne) that you could order to pick up and your chosen time and a great place for bread and pastries just a few mins down the road. The other was just the municipal campsite, we had no booking and were just driving along looking for somewhere likely. Big area but very, very quiet, hardly anyone else camping and very clean facilities.

Anyway, off to google.

Have a look at this article.

Wonderful, thank you very much you two, I appreciate the detailed replies!

I didn't think of the farm campsites, but that does actually sound really good. Will also google the other recommendations.

Mummyisamonster, thanks for the reassurance re crying. It's never bothered me hearing other children crying (excepting cc, but that obv not happening on holiday), but I'm paranoid about disturbing others.

Indith, looks like a great ref book, will try and get hold of a copy.

Ah brilliant, thanks, off to read now.

chantepie is a lovely site, proper but relatively small

Google is not my friend, why the hell do I not write these things down?

duckyfuzz, I don't wish to hijack this thread, but Chantepie is nice then? I am dithering between that site and La Vallee des Vignes.

btw I love my privacy yet took 8mo twins camping in France was on eggshells the whole time about them waking others, but they weren't bad (esp compared to some of the snoring going on...!)

its lovely :)

ooh, is it? Ta. I will make some enquires before it's too late. Did you stop off en-route btw?

I think camping wiht little ones and bedtime etc is fine, I think it is quite funny really, there is a point in the evening when there is a bit of a scuffle, stories, songs, teh odd tear fro all over the campsite then silence and all the aprents appear at their table outside and cack open the wine

Lol, Indith, great description of campsite bedtimes with kids

Oh my word my typing is dreadful.

I am so annoyed that I can't remember where we stayed! Oh well, sure you'll find some nice places.

Oh an mummyisa I know you were asking ducky but looking at your profile I reckon you'd be fine doing the trip in a day from London. We are up in Durham so we set off at the crack of dawn, crossed the channel then spent the night near the port and carried on the next day to break the journey a bit. My parents think we are wimps though, when we were kids they used to toss my sister and I in the back of the car and drive down to Bordeaux all in one day, setting off around 5 or 6am and arriving around 11pm!

From London will be fine in a day, I'm up in indith country, takes days to get anywhere!

Ooh duckyfuzz, Chantepie looks lovely! Some huge pitches, and also like the ones with the views. Am making a list.

Indith, no worries, but thank you so much for searching. Much appreciated.

I'd enquire now if you fancy a pitch with a Loire view, They tended to get re-booked by return visitors. Last year Chantepie was massively down on its bookings though, partly due to the cost of the site and the weak pound. Our friends who we meet in the Dordogne had moved on after a few days when they usually stay there for the week, so you might be lucky.

Hapy hunting - it's a minefield searching for that perfect campsite - when you find it will you let me know?

Ah, thanks Lucycat, will start nagging agree on something with dh this weekend.

Re Dordogne, how is it there? Pictures look beautiful, but I haven't been to either region, so have nothing to compare against. Dh has been in Loire and said it was amazing, which is why we thought of basing ourselves there for the holiday.

Will def let you know once we know! :)

Dordogne and the Lot regions are beautiful. I am a bit biased as my family on my mom's side is from around there and I grew up spending all my holidays in a cottage that my mum inherited near Cahors. Of course it is amuch longer drive! Food is amazing though, how many different ways can you eat every inch of a dead duck?

Ah yes, forgot about the driving distance. As we'll only be going for a week (damn work), it would probably make more sense to stay closer.

Yes bit far for just a week!